There's a reason this green chicken enchilada soup went viral-it's easy, cozy, and packed with flavor! Tender shredded chicken, a rich and creamy broth, and just the right kick of zesty green enchilada sauce make this green enchilada chicken soup irresistible. With Monterey Jack, cream cheese, and salsa verde, it's the perfect balance of comfort and spice-plus, it's high-protein and low-carb!
The backstory.
Forgotten Ingredient = New Family Favorite
I was all set to make my favorite green chicken enchiladas-the chicken was prepped, the cheese was ready, and the enchilada sauce was waiting to be poured. But just as I started assembling, I opened the pantry and-no tortillas. Not a single one. I stood there for a moment, debating whether to abandon ship or make a desperate grocery run, but then inspiration (and hunger) took over. Instead of rolling enchiladas, I decided to turn everything into a soup. I tossed the chicken, broth, and green enchilada sauce into the slow cooker, crossed my fingers, and hoped for the best.
A few hours later, what came out was pure comfort in a bowl-a creamy, cheesy, flavor-packed soup that tasted just like green enchiladas, only cozier. The chicken was fall-apart tender, the broth was rich and velvety, and every bite had that perfect balance of zesty salsa verde and melty cheese. My family devoured it, and just like that, my go-to Green Enchilada Chicken Soup was born. Now, I make it on purpose-because sometimes, the best recipes happen by accident!
xoxo Kori
The must-make green chicken enchilada soup!
The viral sensation. A few years ago, this soup went viral-millions of views and still holding strong as my #1 recipe. Why? Because it's downright delicious! 🔥
Big flavor, easy prep. Think cheesy, creamy, enchilada goodness-only in soup form! It's rich, satisfying, and ridiculously easy to make with only a few ingredients. Plus, you get to choose your method: slow cooker, stovetop, or Instant Pot!
Super customizable. It's easily adaptable to your family's tastes, pantry staples on hand, or dietary needs! Check out the flexible dietary swaps section below for more information.
What you'll need.
Here is what you'll need to make creamy chicken enchilada soup in your slow cooker or Instant Pot:
Ingredients
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts or Thighs - either one can be used.
- Green Enchilada Sauce - use my homemade recipe (seriously, try it!) or grab a 28 ounce can.
- Chicken Broth
- Half and Half - half and half or heavy cream can be used.
- Monterey Jack Cheese - if you can, grate your own cheese it melts better than packaged.
- Cream Cheese - cubed and very soft. Soften it in the microwave before adding to the soup.
- Green Salsa (Salsa Verde) - make your own salsa verde (it's easy) or use any favorite brand.
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Optional Garnish - avocado, green onion, sour cream, cilantro
Special equipment
- 6-quart slow cooker, an Instant Pot, or a soup pot
For exact ingredient quantities, please see the recipe card below!
Make it yours.
Here are a few ways you can customize this recipe:
- Spice it up by adding hot sauce, additional salsa, or chili pepper flakes.
- Try adding a can of diced green chiles.
- Add hominy, drained canned corn, or beans like white beans (cannellini or great northern), black beans, or pinto beans. Readers love it with hominy!
- Fresh vegetables are wonderful in this soup. Add mushrooms, zucchini, sliced carrots when you add the broth.
- Add a quick cooking minute rice, or add a half cup of long grain rice with the broth.
Flexible dietary swaps.
This soup is already a high-protein, low-carb favorite, but it's super easy to tweak based on your preferences or what's in your fridge:
- Dairy-Free? Use a plant-based cream cheese (like almond or cashew-based), unsweetened plain oat milk or coconut milk in place of half and half, and swap in a vegan cream cheese alternative (to keep it creamy). Boom-dairy-free comfort in a bowl.
- Lighter Option? Use fat-free half and half or low-fat cream cheese, and reduce the shredded cheese to 1 cup. You'll still get that creamy vibe with fewer calories.
- Higher Fat/Keto-Friendly? Use heavy cream instead of half and half, add extra Monterey Jack, or top with avocado and a dollop of sour cream for good fats.
- More Veggies? Stir in spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, or riced cauliflower during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking. They'll bulk it up without changing the flavor.
- Vegetarian Swap: Sub in white beans (like cannellini or great northern) or chickpeas for the chicken, and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Spice Control: Tone it down with mild enchilada sauce or salsa verde-or turn up the heat with jalapeños, hot sauce, or spicy salsa. Your call!
The bottom line: this soup loves a good remix. Make it your own and love every spoonful.
How to make green enchilada chicken soup
This soup recipe can be made in a slow cooker, Instant Pot, or on your stove. See the recipe card for more detailed instructions. Enjoy!
Slow cooker method (easiest)
Slow cook
Add chicken breast or thighs, green enchilada sauce, and chicken broth. Slow cook until the chicken is tender and easily shreds apart.
Shred the chicken
Remove chicken, shred and return to the crockpot.
Add remaining ingredients
Add half and half, jack cheese, softened cream cheese, and green salsa. Turn the crockpot to warm and stir until the cheeses are melted.
Instant pot method (fastest!)
- Add chicken, enchilada sauce, and broth to your Instant Pot.
- Seal and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
- Quick release, shred chicken, stir in remaining ingredients, and enjoy!
Stovetop method (weeknight-worthy!)
- In a large stockpot, add chicken, broth, and enchilada sauce. Simmer until chicken is done and can easily be pulled apart. Remove chicken and shred.
- Add shredded chicken and remaining ingredients. Stir and heat soup until it is warm and the cheese is melted.
How to enjoy it.
- Adjust salt, pepper, and salsa to taste. Use hot sauce to increase the heat.
- Delicious topped with avocado, cilantro, green onion, and sour cream.
- Give your kids some scooped tortilla chips and let them scoop up their soup.
- Crush tortilla chips over the top to add some crunch.
If you love chicken soup, be sure to check out these easy, healthy chicken soup recipes!
Love enchiladas? Make your own homemade green enchilada sauce, try the lighter healthy green chicken enchilada soup, the white bean enchilada soup, or the 6-ingredient ground beef enchilada soup. Craving the real thing? Make these green chicken enchiladas or browse all 15+ cozy enchilada recipes.
Kori's tips.
- To add heat, use more green salsa or a green chili hot sauce.
- No cream cheese clumps. Make sure your cream cheese is very soft (warm it in the microwave a few seconds at a time on low). Then whisk it with a ladle of the hot broth before stirring it into the soup. Cold cream cheese won't melt smoothly and leaves lumps.
- Smooth, not stringy, cheese. Always grate your own Monterey Jack. Pre-packaged shredded cheese is coated in potato starch to keep it from sticking, which also keeps it from melting smoothly. Stir the cheese in over low heat (or on Warm) and don't let the soup boil. High heat makes the cheese tighten up and turn stringy.
- Add the salsa verde and dairy last. Stirring them in at the end keeps their flavor from getting diluted during the long cook.
FAQs
Red enchilada sauce is made with red tomatoes, red chili peppers, onions, and other spices.
Green enchilada sauce is most often made of diced green chili peppers (such as anaheim peppers, hatch, jalapeno, etc.), garlic, vegetable stock, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Additional jalapeno peppers may also be added for more spice. Sometimes recipes will add tomatillos as well.
Both use very similar ingredients, but green enchilada sauce is cooked, and salsa verde uses raw ingredients. Not all green enchilada sauce recipes use tomatillos (but some do), whereas most salsa verde recipes use tomatillos.
Typically green enchilada sauce is made of spicy and mild green chili peppers, onion, garlic, cumin, and other seasonings. Sometimes a recipe will add tomatillos as well - but not always.
Yes. Here's how to make Instant Pot Green Enchilada Chicken Soup:
Add chicken, green enchilada sauce, and chicken broth to the Instant Pot. Seal and pressure cook on High for 15 minutes, then quick release. Remove chicken and shred.
Return the shredded chicken to the pot and set it to Keep Warm.
Stir in the half and half, very soft cream cheese, jack cheese, and green salsa until the cheeses are melted.
Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce if desired. Enjoy!
Yes! Here's how to make Green Enchiladas Chicken Soup on your stovetop:
In a large stockpot, add chicken, green enchilada sauce, and chicken broth.
Simmer until the chicken is done and can easily be pulled apart.
Remove chicken and shred.
Return the shredded chicken to the pot and reduce the heat to low. Stir in the half and half, very soft cream cheese, jack cheese, and green salsa until the soup is warm and the cheeses are melted. Do not let it boil.
Season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve with additional green salsa, hot sauce, and sour cream on the side. Enjoy!
Yes. This soup can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe, airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat slow. Fats from the dairy may become separated; add additional milk or cream as needed.
Yes. You can use fat-free half and half and you can reduce the cheese to 1 cup without sacrificing taste.
Adding olive oil and additional cheese will increase the fat in this recipe. You can also use heavy cream in place of half and half. Topping the soup with avocado and sour cream will also increase the fat.
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Can I ask you a favor?
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📖 The recipe.
Green Chicken Enchilada Soup
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 recipe green enchilada sauce (or a 28-ounce can store-bought sauce)
- 24 ounces chicken broth
- 1 cup half and half or heavy cream
- 2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
- 4 ounces cream cheese (cubed and softened - warm in the microwave if needed)
- 4 ounces green salsa (salsa verde)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- In a 6-quart slow cooker, add chicken breast or thighs, green enchilada sauce, and chicken broth.
- Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or until the chicken is tender and easily shreds. Remove chicken and shred.
- Add the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker along with the jack cheese, very soft cream cheese, half and half, and green salsa. Turn the slow cooker to warm and stir until the cheeses are melted.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Add hot sauce or additional salsa to taste.
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Add chicken, green enchilada sauce, and chicken broth to the Instant Pot. Seal and pressure cook on High for 15 minutes, then quick release. Remove chicken and shred.
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot and set it to Keep Warm. Stir in the half and half, very soft cream cheese, jack cheese, and green salsa until the cheeses are melted.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Add hot sauce or additional salsa to taste.
Stovetop Instructions:
- In a large stockpot, add chicken, green enchilada sauce, and chicken broth. Simmer until chicken is done and can easily be pulled apart. Remove chicken and shred.
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot and reduce the heat to low. Stir in the half and half, very soft cream cheese, jack cheese, and green salsa until the soup is warm and the cheeses are melted. Do not let it boil.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Add hot sauce or additional salsa to taste.
Video
Kori's Tips
Nutrition
© 2026 Seeking Good Eats™
Cheryl Loomis
This recipe is fantastic! Made it in the slow-cooker, and served with all the suggested toppings. So flavorful and satisfying, and quite simple to make. The whole family love it. Thank you!
Diane
I have accumulated a lot of recipes in 73 years. This will be one of my favorites. Super easy, lots of flavor, just delicious!! I'm not even a fan of chicken but this soup is excellent!
I Cover
This is fantastic! Made it the once and loved it. Went to make it again and realized I forgot to thaw chicken for crockpot, so used stovetop method - then found I had bone-in and skin-on chicken! That made much more work, but also better broth! My guests loved it! Used the Green enchilada sauce recipe both times as well, and next time I hope to make the Salsa verde. You don't even miss the tortillas; it tastes so much like enchiladas you think they are there. THANK YOU!
Kaylie
Simply, perfection!
Erin Pollard
It’s good
Stacy Potter
Kori ~As I am typing this I’m trying your green enchilada chicken soup. It’s literally the best soup I have ever made so thank you so very much. I am currently having an indoor “cleaning out my closet” sale in my living room with close friends and family and despite the humidity here in Kansas I’m offering my hungry friends a fabulous bowl of this incredible soup. Thank you again, you are a wonderful chef.
Kori Butler
Awwwww! Thank you Stacy for your wonderful compliment! I'm so glad you enjoyed this soup and shared it with your close ones. I hope your cleaning out my closet sale was successful! 🙂
Cindy
I made this yesterday to have for my lunches this week. It is fantastic! I used rotisserie chicken to save some time. Also added 2 jalapeños, an Anaheim pepper, half a white onion, and 3 cloves of fresh garlic. Oh and I can't forget I also added a bunch of cilantro because I absolutely love cilantro. The flavor of everything combined is perfect!!
Melissa
Just made a big crockpot full. Smells wonderful throughout the house. Taste is
delicious. Did add in white & pinto beans and pepper jack cheese along with the Monterey Jack. So delicious
Adina Grenfell
I made the instant pot recipe and ot came out amazing!
Kori Butler
Wonderful! thanks for giving it a try! 🙂
Paige
I made the chicken, green chili enchilada soup for my annual Christmas party; usually I make several variations of chilli. I tripled the recipe, made 2 large crockpots. Added corn and black beans to one. I told my husband that we might be eating leftovers for a while. Not one spoonful remained! I have shared the recipe with many due to request! So good!
Gay
I’m on my second batch and I love it bc it’s so easy and satisfying. I’m going to try some of the suggestions for changing it, but nothing could make it better!
Angie
This is one of my families favorites. One meal we all can agree on. And it's so easy. I definitely recommend this recipe.
Peggy P
I made this today and the only thing I did differently was add a whole block of cream cheese and a can of chilies. It tastes just like chicken enchiladas, with green sauce. It’s delicious.
Dana Varland
Amazing! Kids and I loved it! I added pinto beans and 2 small shredded zucchini. Perfect meal! Yum! Thank you!
Kori
Thank YOU for trying the chicken enchilada soup out - any recipe that you can get your kids to eat to is a keeper! 🙂
Amy Jo McCord
This is too easy to be so good! Literally a "dump and heat" recipe. Tastes like you simmered all day! I use "Hatch Green Enchilada sauce". It's the best if you can find it in your area. I highly recommend this recipe! And this is coming from a green chile girl from the Southwest desert, where green chiles reign supreme!
Karen
I have a chicken enchilada casserole recipe that inspired me to find and make this soup. I enjoy it SO much that I'm going to make it for our museum's annual "Souper Bowl" fundraiser on...you guessed it...Super Bowl Sunday!
Kori
Awwww! Thank YOU so much. I'm so glad you enjoyed this soup so much that you're sharing it with the whole group!! 🙂 That sounds like a lot of FUN!
Amanda Charles
Great recipe. once I added a can of fire roasted tomatoes, a small can of diced green chiles and a can of pinto beans or came out phenomenal!! I made your recipe from scratch.
It's super easy to follow and make. Thank you.
Mary Carol H.
LOVE LOVE LOVE!! Added extra salsa and broth and some Franks hot sauce- so so easy in the crock pot! This old is getting added to my rotation!
Kori
Thank you thank you! So glad you loved this chicken enchilada soup! 🙂
CToth
A++++ Soo good
Thank you for this wonderful recipe
Yoli Moss
I made this tonight with spicy enchilada sauce, spicy green salsa. It was creamy, spicy and delicious!
Kori
Thank you! I'm super happy you loved it!
Sheila
Absolutely delicious!
Cathy Davidson
Wonderful recipe! Delicious, great texture and nice for a change from the usual soups. Love your recipes!!
Connie
This looks delicious, but in the nutritional information, it says a serving size is only 1 gram, which is .035 ounce and .20 teaspoons. This couldn’t be correct that a serving is less than a teaspoon. Could you post the correct serving size? I’m diabetic, so it is important that I have all of the correct information.
Kori
1 cup is a serving. Enjoy! 🙂
Amy K
Second time making this. We absolutely love it! First time I used store bought enchilada sauce bc I had it. This time I made your enchilada sauce and it was so easy and delicious!!! LOVE this soup! I always add a sauteed onion and poblano pepper bc we love that and it just fits nicely in the soup. This soup is also very forgiving and it's still delicious! I did not have the salsa verde and so I omitted this time and it was still delicious!
Elizabeth
I just made this!! I added roasted corn black beans and used Pepper Jack cheese. We will be making this again!!
Terri Hays
This is the 2nd year that I’ve made this soup and it is delicious…even though I took the cream cheese out very early, it always seem to form little balls, so today I put a ladle or two of broth into a bowl. Let the broth cool a bit it, then put the cream cheese into bowl and used my hand blender to blend cream cheese into broth. Slowly poured the mixture into soup bowl and no balls of cream cheese!
Soup is so easy to make and so tasty
Kym Schwenoha
This was a fabulous dinner- super easy and very delicious. I cooked it in the slow cooker added pinto beans and topped with tortilla chips. I think next time I will try cooking on the stove top. Thank you for a wonderful recipe. This soup hit the spot on a cold fall night.